Propylene oxide to allyl alcohol

Derivation (1) By-product of soap manufacture (2) from propylene and chlorine to form allyl chloride, which is converted to the dichlorohydrin with hypo-chlorous acid this is then saponified to glycerol with caustic solution (3) isomerization of propylene oxide to allyl alcohol, which is reacted with peracetic acid, (the resulting glycidol is hydrolyzed to glycerol) (4) hydrogenation of carbohydrates with nickel catalyst (5) from acrolein and hydrogen peroxide. 

Figure 11 illustrates the process steps in converting propylene oxide to 1,4 butanediol and tetrahydrofuran. Production of 1,4 butanediol is a three-step process. The first step is the isomerization of propylene oxide to allyl alcohol. A trilithium orthophosphate catalyst is used and reactor operating conditions are 250-300 C (480-570°F) and approximately 10 atm pressure (130 psig). The chemistry is shown in Eq. (23) ... 

LyondelBasell, the second largest producer of BDO, uses its own process that consists of three major steps isomerization of propylene oxide to allyl alcohol followed by hydro-formylation to 4-hydroxybutyraldehyde and subsequent hydrogenation to BDO. 

One important side reaction, which may occur at higher temperatures, is the isomerization of propylene oxide to allyl alcohol [210, 211], leading to an unsaturated end group (1) which may affect polyurethane production. 

---

See also in sourсe #XX -- [ ]

---